$250k TV Ad Buy Criticizes Sen. McCain's Support for Iraq Escalation

$250k TV Ad Buy Criticizes Sen. McCain's Support for Iraq Escalation

Spot Will Run in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nationally

1,000 Local Actions Last Week

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new TV ad criticizing Senator John McCain (R-AZ) for his long-standing demand to send more U.S. troops to Iraq, and for supporting the president's escalation plan, will run in Iowa, New Hampshire and nationally beginning Wednesday.

The spot will air as opposition to the President's escalation plan continues to grow nationally and as some Republicans indicate that they may abandon the president. McCain's support of escalation in Iraq flies in the face of the voters, top military leaders, a growing number of Republican senators and congressman, and a newly emboldened Democratic congressional majority.

Opponents of the war from all parts of the country have begun action campaigns to demand that Congress block the escalation. Last week more than 1,000 opposition rallies were held in all 50 states and a new campaign was launched -- Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, which brings together labor unions, veterans' organizations, domestic agenda groups and anti-war organizations.

"McCain's escalation will make a bad situation worse. The American people sent a message in November that they want a change that will bring our troops home. Escalation is the wrong way -- sinking us deeper and deeper into the quagmire in Iraq," said Tom Matzzie, Washington Director of MoveOn.org Political Action.

"Either this is a political ploy or its delusional thinking -- either way, the experts and the voters agree that escalation makes the quagmire in Iraq worse," Matzzie concluded.

Script of Ad

MoveOn.org Political Action

TV :30

"Escalate"

MOP-07-101

VIDEO

-- PAN ACROSS VARIOUS PHOTOS OF GEORGE BUSH AND JOHN MCCAIN TOGETHER, AT
TIMES CONSPIRATORIAL, AT TIMES EMBRACING.

AUDIO

-- ANNOUNCER (VO): John McCain has done more than just embrace George
Bush's failed policy in Iraq. It's actually his idea to escalate the

war there. It's John McCain's idea to send tens of thousands more
soldiers to Iraq. And to keep them there, with no timeline for
bringing them home.

VIDEO

-- CUT TO UNFLATTERING PHOTO OF JOHN MCCAIN GIVING TWO THUMBS UP. OVER
PHOTO, SUPER TEXT: "THE MCCAIN PLAN: GOING FROM BAD. TO WORSE."

AUDIO

-- ANNOUNCER (VO): The McCain plan to escalate. Going from bad. To worse.

VIDEO

-- AT SCREEN BOTTOM, SUPER FULL MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION DISCLAIMER.

AUDIO

-- ANNOUNCER (VO): With 3.2 million members, MoveOn.org Political Action
is responsible for the content of this advertisement.

SUBSTANTIATION

Ad Text Documentation

ANNOUNCER (VO):

John McCain has done more than just "Whatever the term and regardless of
embrace George Bush's failed policy the specifics, many will remember
in Iraq. He's an extremist. It's President Bush's decision to send
actually his idea to escalate the more troops to Iraq as John McCain's
war there. plan. The senior Arizona senator and
potential 2008 presidential
candidate has been the most prominent
champion of a troop increase in Iraq
since a few months after the start of
the war in 2003."
[Arizona Republic, 1/11/07]

It's John McCain's idea to send In October 2006, Senator McCain
tens of thousands more soldiers called for 20,000 additional troops
to Iraq. in Iraq.
[Associated Press, 10/27/06]

In January 2007, Senator McCain
called for around 30,000 more troops
in Iraq.
[NBC, 1/4/07]

And to keep them there, with no At a speech before the American
timeline for bringing them home. Enterprise Institute, Senator
McCain said, "the presence of
additional brigades should be tied to
completion of their mission rather
than to some arbitrary deadline.
... A time-limited deployment would
have, on a smaller scale, the same
negative effects posed by a national
timetable for withdrawal."
[AEI Speech, 1/5/07]

The McCain plan to escalate. Going
from bad. To worse.

With 3.2 million members, MoveOn.org
Political Action is responsible for
the content of this advertisement.

Ad can be viewed at http://www.moveon.org/.

Source: MoveOn.org

CONTACT: Trevor FitzGibbon, +1-202-246-5303, or Alex Howe,
+1-202-822-5200, both of Fenton Communications for MoveOn.org

Web site: http://www.moveon.org/

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